43 



A'pfendice^ to Thirty-eighth dmml Report 



The total quantity of fish landed (excluding shell-fish) was 15,283 cwts. 

 and the total value £18,053, an increase of 3935 cwts. in quantity, but a 

 decrease of £1631 in value as compared with the results obtained in 1918. 

 Inclusive of shell-fish, the total value amounted to £25,957, which exceeds 

 the total value for the previous year by £460. 



In June the crews of 2 local sail boats commenced herring fishing from 

 Kirkwall, operating on the west side grounds. For some time their efforts 

 were unrewarded, but on 17th June they landed at Kirkwall 40 crans of 

 splendid quality herrings — ^the first landed in the district since 1914. 

 Subsequent trials on the same ground proved unsuccessful, and the fisher- 

 men turned their attention to the inshore grounds on the east side. 

 A few small takes of immature fish were landed from that area, but for 

 some weeks the herring fishing was practically at a standstill. About the 

 middle of July, however, large shoals were located on the grounds off 

 Copinshay, and for a period of five weeks a regular fishing was landed in 

 this district by several steam and motor drifters belonging to East Coast 

 ports. The bulk of the catch was landed at Stronsay, where one curing 

 station was opened, but a few takes were landed at Kirkwall, at which 

 port one local curer conducted operations on a small scale. The total yield 

 of the herring fishing in the district was 1665 crans, valued at £1885, and 

 1811 barrels were cured gutted. Of the total cure 1621 barrels were 

 handed over mider the Government guarantee for cured herrings, and 

 were shipped to Grermany in December. The remainder were disposed of 

 locally. 



During the season prices for fresh herrings varied from 16s. to 41s. per 

 cran, the average being 22s. 8d. per cran, a figure which, in view of the 

 high working expenses, would leave a very small margin of profit to the 

 fishermen. 



The dangers to which fishermen were exposed while prosecuting the 

 herring fishing in Orkney waters were clearly demonstrated on more 

 than one occasion. A local sail boat, which sailed for the fishing grounds 

 on 1st July, failed to return, having presumably come in contact with a 

 floating mine, and been blown up with all hands. Two weeks later the 

 crew of a Moray Firth motor boat lost their entire drift of nets, in which a 

 number of mines had become entangled. 



The line fisheries jdelded poorer results than in the previous year. 

 Many of the crofter fishermen gaVe no attention to this branch of the 

 industry, while stormy weather frequently compelled those who did to 

 suspend operations. The total landings of line fish amounted to 9355 

 cwts., valued at £16,163, a decrease of 1593 cwts. and £3509 as compared 

 with the returns for 1918. The aVerage prices paid to the fishermen for the 

 principal kinds landed were : — cod, 34s. 5d. ; haddock, 34s. 8d. ; and halibut, 

 87s. per cwt., as against 39s. 9d., 37s., and 100s. 4d. per cwt. respectively 

 in the preceding year. 



The demand for line-caught fish was good throughout the year, more 

 especially while H.M. ships were stationed in Orcadian waters. Local 

 supplies often proved inadequate, and to meet the demand considerable 

 quantities of both fresh and cured fish were brought into the district from 

 Shetland, Aberdeen, and Wick. 



Lobster fishing was prosecuted at most of the district creeks with 

 highly satisfactory results. A larger number of fishermen were employed 

 than in the previous year, better takes were secured, and slightly higher 

 prices were received. The total landings for the year amounted to 88,338 

 lobsters, for which the fishermen received £7574 — an increase of 40 per 

 cent, in both number and value on the results obtained in 1918. I)urii)g 

 the year prices for lobsters varied from lOd. to 2s. 9d. each, the average 

 being Is. 8Jd., compared with Is. 8d. in 1918, and Is. 6d. in 1917. 



